1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine, a gaming information authenticating and loading device, and a loading device for loading gaming information, whereby gaming information recorded on a portable storage medium can be authenticated.
2. Related Background of the Invention
In the prior art, various types of gaming machines are known, such as gaming machines known as video game machines, slot machines, Pachislo machines, Pachinko machines, or the like, which provide image-based gaming by using images displayed on image display means. In recent years, in this type of gaming machine, it has become possible to supply a program (hereinafter, called a “gaming program”) used to control the operations required for playing the game, such as controlling the progress of the game, controlling the display of images, and judging whether or not a prize has been won (a hit or miss judgment), and various types of game used for playing the game (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “gaming information”), by means of a storage medium. For example, gaming information is stored in a small, portable storage medium, such as a compact flash memory (registered trademark; also called “CF card”), and the gaming machine has a component which allows attachment and detachment of the storage medium, gaming information being supplied to the gaming machine by means of this storage medium.
Nevertheless, since the storage medium which stores the gaming information is detachable with respect to the gaming machine, then there is a risk that the medium could be removed from the gaming machine and used to perform illegal actions, such as duplicating or manipulating the gaming information stored on the medium. Therefore, in cases where gaming information is supplied by means of a storage medium, it is necessary to prevent illegal actions relating to the storage medium which stores the gaming information.
With regard to this point, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-344096 discloses a method in which, when a storage medium is attached to a game device, storing identification information that is unique to the game device is stored on the storage medium from the game device, and identification information that is unique to the gaming information is also stored on the game device from the storage medium. Then, according to the method, the software stored on the storage medium is executed if the two sets of the identification information are the same in the game device and the storage medium.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-341957 discloses technology relating to the startup of a computer when a removable unit is attached to a computer main body, whereby the content of a user code stored in the removable unit is compared with the content of a unit code stored in the computer main body, and permission to start up the system is decided according to whether or not the respective contents are matching.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-241194 discloses a video game system in which a security check is performed repeatedly during the progress of a game, in order to compare a security code set in an information processing device, with an accumulation device (storage medium) which stores a game program and a security code.